She Said She Said
by Busby
Summary: REVIEW! Harry returns to Hogwarts during his fifth year, and meets a girl that mystifies and intrigues him. But who gets in the way? Might turn into an R rating later, if people REVIEW. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW.
1. I've Just Seen a Face

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, except for Layla and Saucepan. And maybe some other people in the future. Everyone else is J.K. Rowling's.  
  
Summary: Harry's fifth year, Harry's first time. Wow, that was cheesy. I don't even know if this is going to turn out like that-just please read. And REVIEW.  
  
She Said She Said  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Busby  
  
There was a fog. Not really a fog, but a mist, a cold mist that Harry could feel settle on his face. Had he not been dreaming, he probably would've crinkled his nose as the light sprinkles of moisture tickled his skin. But he was dreaming, and in a strange way at that.  
  
He was walking through a house, and as he walked further through this house he came to two doors. He chose the one to the left. Had it been any other time, he would've subconsciously made his dream-self peek through each door before stepping through them, but he had no control. He was being guided, more like watching himself lurk in the corners in the home videos of Dudley's past birthdays, rather than living it.  
  
The mist seemed to settle, and there was a girl standing by the window. She wore a long, white, flowing dress. She had auburn hair down to her waist, and even though her face wasn't visible, the moon cast a blue glow on the skin of her hands, which were placed on the stone windowsill.  
  
Harry instinctively felt a chill, thinking the girl would turn around and have a hideous face with sharp, bloody teeth. But when she did turn around, it was a soft, silky movement.  
  
He felt the fog returning, and barely saw the girl's face before he awakened..  
  
~*~  
  
Harry opened his eyes. Reaching out for his glasses, he squinted to see the clock. It was, to him, nothing more than a grey splotch on his wall. As he slid his glasses over his eyes, he observed the time.  
  
He felt unusually awake for 3:42 A.M. No sleep tugged at his eyes, and his mouth felt as clear and moist as it had when he had laid down the night before. The fifteen-year-old wizard sat up, kicking his feet over the side of his bed, and knocking a glass that had once contained water over in the process. It clanked softly on the small knitted rug beneath his feet, and the only stirring that seemed to result from it was a reflexive shuffle from Hedwig's cage.  
  
The late August heat had momentarily died down, and Harry enjoyed the cool night air. He didn't dare walk out into the hallway, but did open his window. There were barely any sounds along Privet Drive, but it was calm and relaxing. Not the feeling of home Harry felt while at Hogwarts, but not the usual negative vibes he got in the Dursley's house.  
  
Closing his emerald eyes for a few seconds, Harry saw a flash of the girl's face from his dream, and he was filled with a nostalgic excitement. It could've been a girl he'd met, or a girl he'd seen in a book.but who was she?  
  
Confused, Harry tried to follow his train of thought to bring the girl's face back. He tried for a few minutes before wondering why the naming of this girl felt so vital to him. He sat down on his bed.  
  
Why had he even dreamt of her? And didn't he gave loads of dreams about girls he didn't know? Harry frowned and reached under his bed coverings, feeling for any dampness on his sheets. When he found none, Harry was only more deeply perplexed.  
  
The name Cedric passed through his mind, but Harry quickly dismissed it, trying to avoid unwanted memories.  
  
Harry considered it a while longer, and then suddenly he felt tired enough to fall back asleep.  
  
~*~  
  
"Dear Harry,  
  
Bloody Hell, our holiday's over already? I know I'm gonna miss sitting around on my ass all day. Ha.  
  
I guess it's a relief for you, eh? Yeah, I think this will be a pretty good year. 5th, can you BELIEVE it?! Only two more years before we leave Hogwarts forever.kind of strange, don't you think?  
  
Well, I got my Right-Before-School-Letter-From-Hermione-Reminding-Me- of-How-Much-Work-I-Have-to-Do. Did you? Mum invited you to come with us to Diagon Alley for supplies, naturally. Did you read the list? Seems like they're adding in a bunch of things I know right know we'll never use. Oh well, anything's better than our 2nd-year list. Blimey, if I have to even look at another book by Lockhart, I'll start throwing up slugs again.  
  
Hey, Harry, I know I've asked you a million times but, you're okay, right? I mean, if you feel too weird going back to Hogwarts this year, I'd understand, and I'm sure many people would. Cedric, well. I know I'm just repeating what I've said a million times, forget it.  
  
Shit, Harry, I just remembered I've got homework I haven't done. Leave it to me, eh? Do me a favor and make sure our old owl isn't dead, and write back? Thanks.  
  
Your Friend, Ron."  
  
Harry smiled as he folded the letter back up and slid it into its envelope. He set it on his desk and began writing back.  
  
"Dear Ron,  
  
Yeah, I got my letter from Hermione, and the supply list. You're right, I don't think we'll ever use 'Super-Concentrated Essence of Zebra' very often, but I really don't want any trouble from Snape. Am I bloody kidding? It's inevitable.  
  
Do your parents mind giving me a ride to Diagon Alley? I hope it wouldn't be any trouble.  
  
And, Ron, I'm okay about going back. It might make me feel better, even. Thanks for asking, I wasn't annoyed or anything.  
  
All right, name a time, and I'll see you then.  
  
Till Diagon Alley, -Harry."  
  
Harry sealed the letter and gave it to the Weasley's ancient owl, sending it off on an awkward flight back to his friend Ron. He sat back in his seat and watched it disappear into the distance, hoping his entire 5th year wouldn't be consumed by memories of the previous year's tournament, and the Goblet of Fire, and a friend he lost so quickly. 


	2. Another Girl

New character: Fantasia. :D  
  
  
  
She Said She Said  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Busby  
  
Layla Fairuza sat sprawled against her overstuffed pillows, sighing  
  
through pursed lips. She occasionally reached over to pet her so-far loyal companion, a grey and brown kitten named Fantasia.  
  
Her bed consisted of a frame with three mattresses stacked on top of it. She liked it that way----after all, it had always been like that. Probably since her mother had somehow charmed their family into thrice as many bedroom supplies as necessary when Layla was a little girl.  
  
Layla felt her eyelids weigh down on themselves. Fantasia stretched and yawned before taking a brave leap down to her bowl of milk on the floor. Layla turned over and lay on her side, blowing a raspberry. Fantasia mewed a response, which emitted a smile from her caretaker.  
  
"C'mere, kitty," She whispered, and Fantasia clumsily jumped back on the bed, her front paws on Layla's stomach.  
  
The young girl's room was fairly large, with a soft lilac paint covering the walls. Layla chose the light color, knowing it would make her room look a considerable amount bigger. Her bed was mahogany, with thick posts that nearly scraped the ceiling. She had taken a white lacey fabric and tied it around the top of each post, connecting them. Her walls were lined with posters of people she liked---Marilyn Monroe, old rock bands, wizards and witches that had made their way into the space in her mind reserved for the greats.  
  
At the end of her bed was a chest that contained her school supplies, which she had bought a few nights before. The floor was hardwood with a few lavender rugs on either side of her bed, under her desk, and in front of her door. Next to her closet was a door that led to a bathroom with a shower, toilet, sink, and small vanity table. She had the bathroom done in a soft pink, which put her in the make-up sort of mood.  
  
But perhaps the most important thing in Layla's room, at least to her opinion, was a mahogany bookcase that extended from floor to ceiling. When one walked into the room, the bed would be right in front of them, the closet and bathroom to the right, and the bookcase covered the entire left. Books on philosophy, poetry, art history, music history, all occupied the case, along with some Rice, Crichton, King, Burgess, Paliniuk, and other greats.  
  
Windows with flowing white curtains were behind her bed. The night sky was a canvas to a few stars, as the streetlights prevented most of them to be seen. Layla looked to her box of painting supplies she had had to pack up.  
  
As she drifted to sleep, her kitten lying against her, she remembered that she would be starting her first year at Hogwarts the next day.  
  
~*~  
  
As Harry stepped through the enchanted wall to reach platform 9 ¾, he realized this was his fifth time to ever do such a thing. Well, fifth time trying to, he thought with a smile. Still, it seemed like it had been only yesterday he had seen the boys in a redheaded family stepping through it, and shyly asked the mother how it was to be done.  
  
He pushed his luggage cart down the platform, pausing to turn around to see if Ron was behind him. He saw his friend leaning down to pick up a box that had he had knocked off of his cart, laughing embarrassedly when he met Harry's gaze.  
  
Harry smiled and shook his head, waiting until Ron caught up to him. They walked onto the train and made conversation while they were being seated.  
  
"I wonder where Hermione is?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged.  
  
"Most likely already seated," He said. Ron grimaced.  
  
"Prepare yourself for a lecture on punctuality," He sighed, aligning the boxes on his wobbly cart. "Shit, why did I have to choose the cart with half of a wheel missing?"  
  
Harry looked down to see his friend's broken cart. "Oh, 'ere, lemme fix it," He said, pulling out his wand.  
  
"We're about to get rid of these things anyway, it'll be all right for a few minutes," Ron assured him. Harry nodded. Realizing that they had been waiting a while, he looked around the train.  
  
"Damn, not many seats open, eh?" He asked his friend. Ron nodded, eyebrows raised. Just then, a steward on the train turned to them.  
  
"You'll have to get to the back, boys, we're expecting a lot at Hogwarts this year," He said, patting Harry's shoulder and pointing to the back of the train. The boys exchanged glances and shuffled down the train.  
  
"Guess this means no lecture from Hermione," Ron said, sounding almost disappointed.  
  
After going quite a ways, they saw that each of the boxes were filled. Finally, they got to the last box in the car. They slid the door open to find a girl sitting alone, and the two seats across from her unoccupied.  
  
"Hey," Ron said, getting the girl's attention. She looked up and glanced at Harry, then back at Ron, Harry felt a jolt go through him as she did. "D'you mind if we sit here?"  
  
"Not at all," The girl said, nodding towards the empty seats. The boys smiled graciously and sat down.  
  
Looking out the window, Harry observed that they were now loading the rest of the passengers on different cars. "No Hermione."  
  
Ron shrugged and stretched his legs out and resting them on the seat next to the girl. "More foot space."  
  
The girl smiled slightly and looked down at his feet. Ron grinned bashfully and brought his feet back to him. Harry gave him a "tsk-tsk" sort of look.  
  
Still blushing slightly, Ron turned to the girl. "Hey, what's your name?"  
  
"I'm Layla," She said, smiling. She extended her hand to each of the boys, and they each recited their names. "Simply cosmic to meet you."  
  
"Are you a fifth-year?" Harry asked, noting her strange, eccentric behavior. She shook her head in quick, wispy movements.  
  
"Fourth," She replied.  
  
"Oh, we're-," Ron began.  
  
"Fifth, I figured," Layla said, smiling amusedly. Ron nodded. "After all, everyone keeps track of the 'Tenacious Trio'."  
  
Harry laughed, "They have a name for us now?"  
  
Ron shrugged. Moments later, a small grey and brown puffball fell from the shelf above Layla. It landed on her lap, and she began petting it.  
  
"Is that your animal?" Harry asked, seeing it was a kitten. Layla nodded.  
  
"Harry, Ron, meet Fantasia," She said warmly. The kitten chewed playfully on her fingers. Seeing neatly-trimmed, long fingernails, Harry was reminded of Hermione.  
  
"Remember when Hermione wanted longer fingernails, and she tried a spell for it?" Harry snickered. Ron burst out laughing.  
  
"She seemed to poke everything within a two-mile radius," The boys laughed. Layla gave them a perplexed look, but seemed to give it no other mind.  
  
Ron studied Layla for a few seconds before he asked her what her last name was.  
  
"Fairuza," She replied. Ron bit his lip.  
  
"I think I've heard of you," He said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh?" Harry and Layla said in unison.  
  
"Yeah.yeah, you're that girl they call the 'Redhead-That's-Not-a- Weasley,'" He said, motioning toward her long, auburn tinted hair. Layla raised her eyebrows. "You're the one that everyone listens to all the time...don't you give speeches or something on campus?"  
  
Layla laughed. "I wouldn't call them speeches. They're debates, and they're not planned. I just start talking with someone, about a particular subject, and I tend to get deeply engrossed in my arguments."  
  
Ron chuckled. "Well, so do many people, I hear. Ginny, my sister, maybe you know her? She's a Gryffindor."  
  
"I'm a Ravenclaw, but I know her, yes," Layla nodded.  
  
"She listens to you sometimes. She says people think you're some sort of wizarding disciple or something."  
  
Layla shrugged. "I'm hardly that, I'm just opinionated."  
  
Harry had been witnessing the conversation in silence. Finally, he spoke up. "Ravenclaw, eh?"  
  
Layla nodded. "Though I was nearly put in Gryffindor. They're constantly considering switching me, even the Sorting Hat says so. But they always approach me with the option in the middle of the year, and I don't see the point in having to get re-situated, you dig?"  
  
Ron blinked. "I.dig..."  
  
The rest of the trip was spent in conversation about teachers, holidays, and other such things. The three of them bought treats when the cart came around, and soon they were at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
As the boys took their luggage, Ron turned to Harry. "Did you miss Hermione much?"  
  
"Yeah, but it was fun to meet another girl." 


	3. With a Little Help From My Friends

Please review! I know there are so many HP fics and so little time---but the effort is much appreciated.  
  
She Said She Said  
  
Chapter 3  
  
~*~  
  
Layla was sitting on the grass at lunch, scratching Fantasia behind her ears. The girl was impressed with how well the kitten had taken to her new home. Fantasia hadn't gotten into any rows with any other animals, nor had she gotten herself lost. Layla smiled, realizing her pet was doing better than she was in her first year.  
  
Interrupting her train of thought was a tall, lean Asian boy about her age. "Layla!" He called.  
  
Fantasia rolled herself to see him. When he neared her, the kitten batted the bottoms of his robes playfully. The boy looked down and smiled, bemused.  
  
"Hey, Saucepan."  
  
"Hi," Saucepan replied. "D'you mind if I join you?" He asked, looking down at the ground next to Layla. The girl shook her head.  
  
"Not at all," She said. The boy sat Indian-style. "How's school been for you?"  
  
The boy shrugged. "It's been fine. I like all my classes, and I've met new people."  
  
Layla nodded. "That's always good."  
  
"Mmhm," The boy replied. "Hey, I heard you talked to Harry Potter on the train."  
  
Layla picked Fantasia up and set the animal in her lap. "Yeah, he and his friend Ron Weasley sat with me. The train was filled, my car was the only one left."  
  
Saucepan nodded. "Well I've got him in one of my classes and I was paired with him for a group activity. He says you were very polite. And intelligent," He said, grinning. Layla gave him a sidelong look, chuckling slightly.  
  
"Did he autograph your forehead for you?" She said sarcastically. His smile faded for a second, then he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Layla, don't act like you weren't excited to meet him. And he seemed to really like you," Saucepan welcomed Fantasia onto his lap and began rubbing her belly.  
  
"I'm always glad when someone likes me, Saucepan. But if he had been anyone else, like Harry's friend, or anyone, it would've been easy conversation. People like Potter, you never expect to see them any less than 3,000 feet tall, you just don't." Layla explained.  
  
Saucepan laughed. "You're a genius, Layla."  
  
The girl shrugged and smiled.  
  
"But I don't see him as a God or anything. He has done a lot, you have to admit. But he was approachable."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't know. See, he was the one to approach me," The girl said, trying to look serious, but a grin tugged at the sides of her mouth.  
  
"Right," Saucepan said. The two students spent the rest of the lunch period talking casually about their classes.  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, the three Gryffindor 5th-years were eating their meals.  
  
"And I know my new Advanced Herbology 6 teacher likes me, I finished a week's worth of work in the end of a class period---"  
  
Ron temporarily gave up trying to sound interested in the summary of Hermione's day to glance at his friend. Harry was sitting, turned slightly away from them, with his head resting on his hand. He was staring at the table, his expression one of borderline-daydreaming.  
  
"Oi 'arry," He said, nudging his fellow Gryffindor. Harry looked up and blinked.  
  
"Wha?" He said groggily.  
  
"What's the matter with you? You look tired or something," Ron observed.  
  
Harry shrugged and switched from his right to left arm to lean on. "I've been kept up with these dreams lately. About a girl, but not wetdreams." He said absent-mindedly. Hermione raised her eyebrows. Ron glanced at her apologetically.  
  
"Which girl?" Ron asked.  
  
"Well, I think it's that Layla girl we met on the train," Harry told him. Ron frowned.  
  
"The fourth-year?" He asked. Harry nodded. "Well she was sort of pretty, I guess. Why would they keep you up, though?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I really don't know. The odd thing is, the first of my dreams about her were about a week before school started. . .and they just always wake me up. D'you think it's any reason to worry?"  
  
"Maybe you should talk to her," Hermione suggested. "You do have strong powers, Harry. Dreaming of little things like that to come in the future, well, it's probably natural to a wizard as great as you are."  
  
Harry nodded. "I'll try talking to her. It's just that---my dreams get longer each time. At first I see her in a room looking out the window at a full moon, then she turns to look at me, then I follow her through some sort of chamber door. . .that's all that's happened so far."  
  
"Maybe 'Mione could fix you a nice potion to help you sleep, and the dream will finish," Ron said. Hermione nodded.  
  
"Sure, that'd be great," Harry rubbed his eyes. "I'll look into talking to her, anyway, though."  
  
~*~  
  
It was around eight o'clock, just after dinner, which Layla had spent in her room.  
  
Layla was grateful for the private rooms the 4th years had been awarded recently. It wasn't huge, but had space for a bed, Fantasia's foodbowls, a chest and a desk. She had decorated it with mostly purple things and a few posters. She had brought a miniature bookcase filled with novels she intended to read during the year. She stepped to the mirror she had hung on her wall to check the eyeliner she had put halfway across her blue eyes.  
  
Fantasia abandoned her perch on the girl's desk to brush herself against her leg. Layla looked down and smiled. "Whassa kitty doing?"  
  
The kitten purred loudly and rolled over playfully. "You want some food?" Layla walked over to the cat's foodbowls, bending down to refill them. After she had poured the water and reached for the catfood box, she found it was close to empty. "Shit, I just bought this," She shook the box, making the contents shake. Fantasia mewed and Layla obliged, pouring the remaining pieces of food into the bowl. "You better not eat too much, or you'll get fat."  
  
Layla placed the empty box back on the floor and stood up. "And Layla will be broke."  
  
She ran her hands through her hair and stretched.  
  
"I could get you more catfood if you needed," A deep voice from behind her said.  
  
Layla jumped and made a startled noise. She turned around to find herself face-to-face with Harry Potter. The 4th-year smiled, confused.  
  
"Hello," She said, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"Hi," Harry replied.  
  
"Welcome to my room," Layla said. "And to what do I owe this honor?"  
  
Harry laughed and looked at his feet. "I just wanted to talk, I guess. Should I leave?"  
  
Layla smiled and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I like company," She said, pulling out her desk chair for Harry. He sat down and nodded a thanks. Layla sat cross-legged on the across from him.  
  
Harry cleared his throat. "Anyway, I could get you some more cat food, if you need it. . . "  
  
Layla shook her head. "It's fine, I just need to get off my lazy ass to get it."  
  
"I could go with you, if you wanted," Harry offered, finding himself more nervous than he had anticipated.  
  
Layla smiled. "That might be fun."  
  
Harry nodded. "Anyway, I just wanted to come and talk to you, I---I don't really know about w-what. . ." the boy stuttered. Layla laughed.  
  
"Anything's fine. I like talking to new people. It makes me think there's hope for the world. See. . ." she said, sliding off of her bed and walking across the room to her window. "There are two things I feel people need to do more often: they need to think for themselves and they need to learn how to support their arguments."  
  
Harry studied her curiously. "You seem opinionated."  
  
Layla looked back at him. "Oh, no, I didn't mean it offensively---"  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it. I take that as a compliment. I'm even flattered that people are listening. Makes me think all my jabbering isn't such a pointless investment of my time. Can you dig it?"  
  
Harry nodded, "I dig it."  
  
Layla laughed, "I knew thatchew could."  
  
"I don't think you waste your time at all in talking," Harry continued. "A lot of people think you're a genius, and I'm finding myself one of them."  
  
For the first time since Harry had met her, Layla seemed at a loss for words. "Why, thank you, Harry."  
  
Harry smiled, realizing she had been truly touched by his compliment. The two sat in silence for a few moments before Harry stood.  
  
"I should go now. . .how about we look into that cat food tomorrow afternoon, after classes let out?"  
  
Layla nodded. "I'd love that."  
  
Harry smiled before he turned to leave. Layla stood staring at the door for a while after he had left, until Fantasia whined for some attention. 


End file.
